Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM)
FDA's Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) presents the agency's preferred laboratory procedures for microbiological analyses of foods and cosmetics. AOAC International published previous editions of this manual in a loose-leaf notebook format, and, more recently, on CD-ROM. This online BAM is now available to the public. Some changes have been made to methods since the previous version. A listing of chapters updated since the last hard-copy version (Edition 8, Revision A /1998) can be found in About the Bacteriological Analytical Manual. The members of the BAM Council are listed below. In addition recent changes for most Chapters are documented in a brief Revision History at the beginning of the Method. There is also e-mail contact information for each Chapter. Chapter numbers have been retained from the previous version. However, for this Table of Contents, chapters have been grouped by category. Please send comments to Karen Jinneman.
Jump to:
- Table of Contents of Current Guidelines, Procedures, & Methods
- Archived Methods
- BAM Council
- Introduction
- Media Index for the BAM
- Reagents Index for the BAM
Table of Contents
| Chapter No. | Title | Authors |
|---|---|---|
| General Guidelines/Procedures | ||
| Methods for Specific Pathogens | ||
| Methods for Microbial Toxins | ||
| Additional Methods | ||
| Appendixes | ||
| 1 | Food Sampling and Preparation of Sample Homogenate Updated: 4/2022 | W.H. ANDREWS (ret.) T. S. HAMMACK (ret.) |
| 2 | Microscopic Examination of Foods, and Care and Use of the Microscope | J.R. BRYCE P.L. POELMA (ret.) |
| 3 | Aerobic Plate Count | L.J. MATURIN (ret.) J.T. PEELER (ret.) |
| 25 | Investigation of Food Implicated in Illness | G.J. JACKSON (ret.) J.M. MADDEN (ret.) W.E. HILL (ret.) K.C. KLONTZ |
| 4 | Enumeration of Escherichia coli and the Coliform Bacteria Updated: 10/2020 | P. FENG (ret.) S. D. WEAGANT (ret.) M.A. GRANT (dec.) W. BURKHARDT |
| 4A | Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Updated: 07/2020 | P. FENG (ret.) S.D. WEAGANT (ret.) K. JINNEMAN |
| 5 | Salmonella Updated: 05/2024 | W.H. ANDREWS (ret.) H. WANG A. JACOBSON (ret.) B. GE G. ZHANG T. S. HAMMACK (ret.) |
| 6 | Shigella Updated: 03/2023 | W.H. ANDREWS (ret.) A. JACOBSON (ret.) |
| 7 | Campylobacter | J.M. HUNT (ret.) C. ABEYTA T. TRAN (ret.) |
| 8 | Yersinia enterocolitica Updated: 10/2017 | S.D. WEAGANT (ret.) P. FENG J.T. STANFIELD (ret.) |
| 9 | Vibrio | ANGELO DEPAOLA JR. (ret.) C.A. KAYSNER (ret.) JESSICA JONES |
| 10 | Listeria monocytogenes Updated: 04/2022 | A.D. HITCHINS (ret.) KAREN JINNEMAN YI CHEN |
| 12 | Staphylococcus aureus Updated: 03/2016 | SANDRA TALLENT JENNIFER HAIT R.W. BENNETT (ret.) G.A. LANCETTE (ret.) |
| 14 | Bacillus cereus Revision History: 10/2020 | S. M. TALLENT A. KNOLHOFF E.J. RHODEHAMEL (ret.) S.M. HARMON (ret.) N. BELAY (ret.) D.B. SHAH (ret.) R. W. BENNETT (ret.) |
| 16 | Clostridium perfringens | E.J. RHODEHAMEL (ret.) S.M. HARMON (ret.) Contact: R.W. BENNETT |
| 17 | Clostridium botulinum | H.M. SOLOMON (ret.) T. LILLY, Jr.(ret.) |
| 18 | Yeasts, Molds, and Mycotoxins | V. TOURNAS, (ret.) M.E. STACK (ret.) P.B. MISLIVEC (dec.) H.A. KOCH, R. BANDLER |
| 19 | Parasitic Animals in Foods | J.W. BIER (ret.) G.J. JACKSON (ret.) A.M. ADAMS, R.A. RUDE (ret.) |
| 19A | Detection of Cyclospora and Cryptosporidium from Fresh Produce: Isolation and Identification by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Microscopic Analysis. Note: An updated Method, Chapter 19B: Detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis in Fresh Produce using real-time PCR, is available below. | P.A. ORLANDI C. FRAZAR L. CARTER D.T. CHU (ret.) |
| 19B | Detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis in Fresh Produce using Real-time PCR New: 06/2017; Updated: 4/2022 | H.R. MURPHY (ret.) S. ALMERIA A.J. da SILVA |
| 19C | Dead-end Ultrafiltration for the Detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis from Agricultural Water New: 07/2020 | M. DURIGAN H. MURPHY K. DENG M. KMET S. LINDEMANN R. NEWKIRK V. PATEL J. ULASZEK J. WARREN L. EWING R. REDDY A. da SILVA |
| 26 | Concentration, Extraction and Detection of Enteric Viruses from Food and Appendices New: 07/2022 | J. WILIAMS-WOODS R. RODRIGUES J. MARCHANT A. SWINFORD W. BURKHARDT |
| 28 | Detection of Enterotoxigenic Vibrio cholerae in Foods by the Polymerase Chain Reaction | W.H. KOCH (ret.) W.L. PAYNE (ret.) T.A. CEBULA (dec.) |
| 29 | Cronobacter Updated: 11/2023 | Y. CHEN N. MIRANDA K. LIU J. MULLINS K. LAMPEL T. HAMMACK (ret.) |
| 13B | Staphylococcal Enterotoxins Detection Methods Updated: 10/2022 | S. TALLENT R.W. BENNETT J.M. HAIT |
| 20A | Inhibitory Substances in Milk | L.J. MATURIN (ret.) |
| 20B | Rapid HPLC Determination of Sulfamethazine in Milk | J.D. WEBER (ret.) M.D. SMEDLEY |
| 21A | Examination of Canned Foods | W.L. LANDRY, A.H. SCHWAB, G.A. LANCETTE (ret.) |
| 21B | Modification of Headspace Gas Analysis Methodology, Using the SP4270 Integrator | W.L. LANDRY M.J. URIBE |
| 22A | Examination of Metal Containers for Integrity | R.C. LIN (ret.) P.H. KING (ret) M.R. JOHNSTON (ret.) |
| 22B | Examination of Glass Containers for Integrity | R.C. LIN (ret.) P.H. KING (ret.) M.R. JOHNSTON (ret.) |
| 22C | Examination of Flexible and Semirigid Food Containers for Integrity | G.W. ARNDT. JR. (NFPA) |
| 22D | Examination of Containers for Integrity: Glossary and References | R.C. LIN, P.H. KING M.R. JOHNSTON |
| 23 | Microbiological Methods for Cosmetics Updated: 04/2024 | J. HUANG A.D. HITCHINS (ret.) T.T. TRAN (ret.) J.E. McCARRON (ret.) |
| 23A | Isolation and Identification of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Associated with Tattoo-related Skin Infections New: 10/2023 | K. CHOU |
| 27 | Screening Method for Phosphatase (Residual) in Cheese | G.C. ZIOBRO |
| Appendix 2 | Most Probable Number Determination from Serial Dilutions Updated: 09/2023 | R. BLODGETT (ret.) |
| Appendix 3 | Guidelines for the Validation of Analytical Methods for the Detection of Microbial Pathogens in Foods and Feeds, 3rd Edition (PDF, 0.929 Mb, December 2019), FDA Foods Program Regulatory Science Steering Committee (RSSC), US Food and Drug Administration, Office of Foods
| |
| Appendix 4 | Food and Feed Items that are of current Interest to the FDA for Microbiological Methods Validation | T. HAMMACK (ret.) |
Archived Methods
DISCLAIMER: The following Methods and Appendices have been archived. They are included for reference purposes only. For additional information, contact BAM Council Chair: Karen Jinneman
- Chapter 11: Serodiagnosis of Listeria monocytogenes
- Chapter 13A: Staphylococcal Enterotoxins: Micro-slide Double Diffusion and ELISA-based Methods
- Chapter 13B: Electrophoretic and Immunoblot Analysis of Staphylococcal Enterotoxins in Food
- Chapter 15: Bacillus cereus Diarrheal Enterotoxin
- Chapter 24: Identification of Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens by Gene Probes
- Chapter 26A: Detection and Quantitation of Hepatitis A Virus in Shellfish by the Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Chapter 28B: Detection of Hepatitis A Virus in Foods
- Appendix 1: Rapid Methods for Detecting Foodborne Pathogens
BAM Council
Updated: September 2022
| Member | Affiliation | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Karen Jinneman, Chair | HFP | |
| Rachel Binet | HFP | |
| William Burkhardt | HFP | |
| Kelly Domesle | CVM | |
| Beilei Ge | CVM | |
| Sunee Himathongkham | HFP | |
| Julie Kase | HFP | |
| Donna Williams-Hill | HFP |
Introduction
To test for an organism or microbial toxin not covered by the BAM, or to analyze a sample that may require special handling or processing, the user is referred to the Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC International; Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products, Recommended Procedures for the Examination of Seawater and Shellfish, and Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods of the American Public Health Association; also, Standard Methods for Water Analysis of the Environmental Protection Agency. FDA works closely with AOAC International, APHA, EPA, the International Dairy Federation (IDF/FIL), and, by way of participation in Codex Alimentarius, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). However, not all methods appearing in the BAM have been collaboratively evaluated by one or more of these organizations.
Text for the BAM was peer-reviewed by scientists outside and within FDA.
Introduction to the 8th edition, Revision A (1998)
Innovations in methods for the microbiological analysis of food continue to appear at a rapid pace. Edition 8 (1995) of the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM-8) contained numerous refinements of procedures and updates of references from the 1992 edition. The list of commercially available test kits and the discussion of rapid methods in Appendix 1 were thoroughly revised. Three chapters were added: the use of reverse transcription (RT) and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect and quantify contamination of shellfish with hepatitis A virus (Chapter 26); new procedures for the alkaline phosphatase test to determine whether dairy foods were prepared with pasteurized milk (Chapter 27); and the use of PCR to detect toxigenic Vibrio cholerae in foods (Chapter 28). For this printing (BAM - 8A), the following has been revised or added: Campylobacter (Chapter 7), Yeast and Molds (Chapter 18), Cyclospora [Chapter 19 (Parasites)] and Staphylococcus enterotoxins (Chapter13). In addition, there are updated tables in Appendix 1 on Rapid Methods and revised and corrected tables in Appendix 2 on MPN. Appendix 3 reflects changes in media and corrects errors in the 8th Edition. A table summarizing changes from BAM-8 to BAM-8A is included.
The methods described in Chapters 1 to 28 are those preferred by FDA for the microbiological analysis of foods, drinks, and cosmetics as well as for their containers, contact materials, and the production environment. This is not necessarily the case for the rapid methods listed in Appendix 1: this appendix is a listing of different kits that are commercially available. These methods have not necessarily been evaluated by FDA, and listing of a method in this appendix does not constitute a recommendation.
To test for an organism or microbial toxin not covered by the BAM, or to analyze a sample that may require special handling or processing, the user is referred to the Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC International; Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products, Recommended Procedures for the Examination of Seawater and Shellfish, and Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods of the American Public Health Association; also, Standard Methods for Water Analysis of the Environmental Protection Agency. FDA works closely with AOAC International, APHA, EPA, the International Dairy Federation (IDF/FIL), and, by way of participation in Codex Alimentarius, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). However, not all methods appearing in the BAM have been collaboratively evaluated by one or more of these organizations.
Text for the BAM was peer-reviewed by scientists outside and within FDA. Outside reviewers included P. Entis, J. Smith, M. Doyle, N. Stern, R. Twedt, S. Tatini, R. Labbe, M. Eklund, M. Cousin, L. Eveland, R. Richter, J. Kabara, M. Curiale, and the staff of the National Food Processors Association. Reviews by FDA's field microbiologists, who made valuable suggestions concerning content and practicality, were coordinated by Meredith A. Grahn and her staff.
The 8th Edition of the BAM was prepared in the Technical Editing Branch, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA by Lois A. Tomlinson with production assistance by Dorothy H. Hughley. This version (Revision A) of the 8th Edition, was prepared and produced by Dr. Robert I. Merker, Office of Special Research Skills, CFSAN, FDA.
Original Source: Bacteriological Analytical Manual, 8th Edition, Revision A, 1998.